Registration device for wrapping machines



Aug. 19, 1958 T. JENSEN REGISTRATION DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINESOriginal Filed July 1, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 N QQWNN INVENTOR THORMODJENSEN 256., ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1958 T. JENSEN REGISTRATION DEVICE FORWRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed July 1. 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f6;ATTORNEY INVENTOR THORMOD JENSEN Aug. 19, 1958 T. JENSEN REGISTRATIONDEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed July 1,1947 FIG. 3

FEM/TED FAA/EL- FIG.4

FEM 775D FAA/EL INVENTOR THORMOD JENSEN W 15%, ATTORNEY Aug. 19, 1958 T.JENSEN 2,848,224

REGISTRATION DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Original Filed July 1, 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 4 INF EED INVENTOR THORMOD JENSEN ATTORNEY United StatesPatent REGISTRATION DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Y Thormod Jensen,Laurelton, N. Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, acorporation of New Jersey Original application July 1, 1947, Serial No.758,417, now Patent No. 2,611,224, dated September 23, 1952. Divided andthis application September 20, 1952, Serial No. 310,713

11 Claims. (Cl. 271-2.6)

This invention relates to web positioning means, more particularly toweb positioning means in wrapping machines equipped with web registeringdevices for maintaining the printed panel or other printed matter on thewrapping material in a predetermined position on one of the faces of thearticle about which the wrapping material is folded.

This invention is a division of my co-pending application filed July 1,1947, and assigned Serial No. 758,417, now Patent No. 2,611,224.

Heretofore, in wrapping machines of the type wherein the article wasenfolded in the leading end of the web prior to severance of therequired length of wrapper from the web it was not possible,particularly when wrapping articles of non-uniform girth such as breadloaves, to apply the wrapper to the article in such a manner that theprinted matter would appear in the desired position on the top or otherface of the article. Therefore, one of the main objects of thisinvention is to equip this type of wrapping machine with web positioningdevices which will locate the leading end of the web in a desiredposition with regard to the printed matter of the web. By properlypositioning the leading edge of the web the printed matter may be madeto engage a predetermined face of the wrapped article.

For this purpose, the web of wrapped material may be provided with aseries of equally spaced indicia such as printed spots having apredetermined relationship to the printed labels or other printed matteron the web. Thus, although variations in the girth of the article willcause the line of cut along which the wrapper is separated from the webto be nearer or further from the next printed spot on the web,variations in the position of the printed matter with respect to thearticle to be enfolded in the wrapping material will be avoided. Theposition of the cut edge of the web will be varied relative to thearticle, when the printed spot is located by my web registering device,and the position of the leading edge of the web sufliciently varied toproduce the desired relation of the printed matter to the article.

A further object of the invention, accordingly, is to provide webregistering devices which will vary the cut edge of the web and therebyvary the underlap thereof to locate the printed matter in apredetermined position prior to the enfoldment of articles in the web.

If desired, the position of the cut edge of the web may be furthercorrected in accordance with the variations in the height of the articleto be wrapped. A suitable device for this purpose may include a feelerengaging the top of the article and instrumentalities connected to saidfeeler and operated by displacement of the feeler resulting fromvariations in the height of the article engaging the feeler to retractor advance the cut edge of the web to a predetermined position. Thus,the desired position of the printed matter on the article will beassured for articles of varying height.

With these and other objects not specifically men- 2,848,224 PatentedAug. 19, 1958 tioned, the invention consists in certain constructionsand combinations hereinafter fully described and set forth in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the web feeding mechanism of a wrappingmachine illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same general type of web feedingmechanism illustrating a suitable form of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the web registering device shown in Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view taken on line 4--4 of the form of the webregistering device shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the web registering device shown in Fig. 1associated with mechanism for varying the position of the web ofwrapping material in accordance with variations in the height of thearticle to be wrapped; and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the same taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 and3, which will now be described, the web of wrapping material is overfedand then retracted to the desired position. A lifter table 10 which maybe of the general type disclosed in my prior Patent 2,385,706 isprovided with a back tension plate 11 and a top tension plate 10asupported thereon in the manner described in said patent.

shown), and back tension plate 11 may be secured to a member 13 slidablymounted on table 10 in the manner described in said Patent 2,385,706. Anadjustable projecting from the side of cam lever 18. Cam follower 22engages a cam 26 which is mounted on a main cam shaft 28 suitablyjournaled in the side frames (not shown) and driven from a suitablesource of power (not shown). A tension spring 30 attached at one end toa pin 32 projecting from cam lever 18 and at the other end to one of theside frames (not shown) maintains cam follower 22 against cam 26. Cam 26thus imparts an oscillating motion to cam lever 18 which in turntransmits this motion to lifter table 10 through connecting rod 14 intimed relation to the other parts of the machine.

The lifter table 10 is normally maintained in an inclined positionaligned with an inclined infeed runway 15 (Fig. 1) over which the loavesL are advanced into position to be delivered to table 10 by pusherplates 17 projecting through a slot 19 in runway 15. The pusher plates17 are attached to an intermittently moving conveyor chain 21 of Wellknown construction, wherefore further description thereof is deemedunnecessary. One side of each loaf L slides along a guide plate 23adjustably mounted on runway 15. Guide plate 23 has a suitable cut-out(not shown) to allow passage of a reciprocating pusher plate 25 whichpushes loaf L from runway 15 in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, andon to lifter table 10. Pusher plate 25 is affixed to the end of a rod25a slidably supported in brackets 27 which are aflixed to cross bars 29suitably attached to the side frames (not shown). A sleeve 31 isadjustably secured on rod 25a. A link 33 attached to a stud 35protruding from sleeve 31 is connected to a lever 37 to operate thepusher plate in a manner which will be presently described. Lever 37 isfulcrumed on a shaft 39 and receives its motion from cam lever 41through connect- Table 10 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 12 suitablysupported in side frames (not ing rod 43. Cam lever 41 is pivoted on ashaft and has a cam follower 47 mounted on a stud 49 projecting from theend of said cam lever. Cam follower 47 engages a cam track formed on theperiphery of a cam 51 which is also mounted on main cam shaft 28. Atension spring 53 is employed to maintain the cam follower 47 againstcam 51 and is anchored at one end to a pin 56 on lever 37 and its otherend to one of the side frames (not shown).

A lap roller 34 is supported in the ends. of arms 36 attached to shaft38 suitably supported in side frames (not shown). Arms 36 are actuatedby a connecting rod 40 pivotally connected to lug 42 on the under sideof one of the arms 36 and pivotally connected to a cam lever 44. Shaft20 is also the fulcrum for cam lever 44 which has projecting from itsside a stud 46 on which is mounted a cam follower 48. Cam mounted onmain cam shaft 28 is engaged by cam follower 48 which is held againstcam 50 by a tension spring 52 attached at one end to a pin 54 protrudingfrom cam lever 44 and at its other end to the side frame (not shown).

The web of wrapping material W is supplied to the machine from a roll R(Fig. 1) suitably mounted between the side frames (not shown). The web Wpasses under a continuously rotating feed roller 58, over a guide rollerand under a floating roller 62 to another roller 64. Further descriptionof the rolls 58, 60 and 62 is deemed unnecessary since theirconstruction is fully described in Gwinn Patent 1,626,408. The web Wthen passes along the top of plates 66 and 68 to a pair of guide rollers70 so that its leading end hangs freely behind loaf L and between runway15 and lifter table 10. The web of wrapping material W has suitableindicia, such as the Spots indicated in Fig. 1, printed thereon atpredetermined intervals to actuate a photo-electric cell unit 72 in amanner hereinafter described. A delivery table 74 suitably held betweenside frames (not shown) has affiXed to its under side a bracket 75 onwhich is ad justably secured the photo-electric cell unit 72.

Photo-electric cell unit 72 is of conventional construction and islocated directly over the path of the printed spots on web W. Unit 72 isprovided with a housing 76 having an opening in its bottom through whicha beam of light is projected from an incandescent lamp 77 through a setof lenses 78 on to the web W. The light reflected from web W impinges ona photoelectric cell 79 of conventional construction. The printed spotsare spaced at equal distances along the web corresponding to the girthof an averageloaf plus the desired overlap of the edges of the Wrapper.

Photoelectric cell 79 is connected by suitable electrical wiring to anamplifier 80 of conventional construction which is connected in a mannerhereinafter described, to a solenoid 81 supported, by a bracket 82secured to the under side of table 74. An extension 84 of the solenoidarmature is slidably supported in a bracket 86 also fastened on theunder side of table 74. A compression spring 88 encircles extension 84with one end thereof seated against solenoid 81 and its other endpushing against a collar affixed to extension 84 and thereby tending tohold said extension 84 in a predetermined position. The extension 84 atits free end is provided with a forked portion 90 which carries a pin 92engaging with a vertical slot 94 formed in the upper end of pawl 96. Ashaft 98 held by brackets 100 fastened to the underside of table 74passes through a hole in the pawl 96 whereby the latter is supporteddirectly above a ratchet 102 with which it engages when the solenoid 81is energized.

The amplifier 80 and the incandescent lamp 77 are connected to thesupply lines 91 which are connected to a suitable source of electricity.The amplifier 80 is also connected to the winding 93 of a relay 95 ofconventional construction which is adapted when energized to close ahold-in relay 99 of conventional construction and establish a circuitthrough the solenoid 81 and a limit switch 4, 142 in a manner which willbe hereinafter described. The winding of the relay 99 is connected inthis circuit to be energized and thereby close the contacts 97 and 97athereof to establish a separate circuit through the solenoid 81 andlimit switch 190 in a manner also to be described hereinafter. The limitswitch 190 is mounted on a back stop plate 191 secured to plate 68 andis normally closed to complete a circuit through solenoid 81 when thecontacts 97 and 97a are closed. When a loaf L is advanced toward thelifter table 10 by pusher plate 25 it engages and opens the limit switch190 whereby the solenoid 81 will be deenergized if the limit switch 142is also open.

Ratchet 102 is provided with a rearwardly projecting arm 103 on which ispivoted one end of a roller 104 extending horizontally across and beyondthe full width of the Web W. The end of roll 104 is pivoted in an arm106 (Fig. 3). Arm 106 and ratchet 102 are secured on a common shaft 108.There is loosely mounted on shaft 108 an arm 110 having a lug in which apin 112 isv fastened. Arm 110 is positioned directly beside ratchet 102so that pin 112 extends underneath the arm 103 of said ratchet. One endof a spring 114 is attached to a pin 116 projecting from the arm 103 ofratchet 102, and its other end is anchored to a pin 118 in arm 110.Spring 114 serves a two-fold purpose. Spring .114 holds the arm 103against projecting pin 112, and when pawl 96 is in engagement withratchet 102 to hold arm 103 stationary, spring 114 stretches and arm 110is thereby allowed to oscillate. The oscillating motion of arm 110 isproduced by cam lever 120 through a connecting rod 122. A shaft 124 isthe fulcrum for the cam lever 120 which is provided with a cam follower126 engaging a cam 132.

Cam, follower 126 is pivoted on a stud 128 projecting from a lug 130 ofcam lever 120 and is held against cam 132 by a tension spring 134 whichis anchored at one end to a pin 136 projecting from the side of camlever 120 and is fastened at its other end to the side frame (notshown). Cam 132 is mounted on main cam shaft 28 and is provided with acircular periphery. A cam segment 132a is adjustably secured to cam 132and has a portion adapted to engage cam roller 126 to operate arm 110.The adjustment of segment 132a serves a purpose which will behereinafter described.

A pair of rollers 146 are suitably mounted on the side frames (notshown) in the space between the adjoining ends of plates 66 and 68.These rollers 146 are spaced a sufficient distance apart to allow theroller 104 to move downwardly therebetween while retracting the web W aswill be hereinafter described.

In the operation of the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and3, the loaf L is pushed in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. l bythe reciprocating pusher plate 25. This motion is derived from cam 51 inthe manner previously described. As the loaf is pushed on to liftertable 10, it presses the web W against the back tension plate 11 whilethe latter is displaced rear- Wardly and the top tension plate 10a wipesthe wrapping material over the top of the loaf. The loaf is thuspartially enwrapped in the portion of web W draped in its path. Cam 26then actuates cam lever 18 and through connecting rod 14 raises liftertable 10 to the level of table 74 as shown in Fig. 3. While back tensionplate 11 is clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, it is omitted in Fig. 3 forthe sake of clarity. At the same time and by reason of the upward motionof said lifter table the web is pulled over plates 66 and 68. Lap roller34 through the action of cam 50 upon cam lever 44 and connecting rod 40previously described moves downward to the position shown in Fig. 3.During this motion of lap roller 34 more of the web W is drawn oif thefeed roll R and through the machine and thereby overfed by an amountgreater than the distance between adjoining printed spots on web W untilthe printed spot on the portion of web- W immediately behind the portionthereof wrapped about loaf L reaches a position beyond the photoelectriccell 72, as shown in Fig. 1. At this point a clamping arm 148 aflixed toa shaft 150 mounted in the side frames (not shown) is operated by asuitable cam (not shown). Clamping arm 148 is operated to move in thedirection of the arrow (Fig. 1) and clamp the web of wrapping material Wagainst plate 66 and thus prevent drawing of any further length of saidweb from roll R. Clamping arm 148 also serves the purpose of holding theweb of material W taut while a knife 138, which is supported on pivotedarms 139, is actuated in timed relationship through a suitable cam (notshown) to cut the web W. The wrapping material W is pinched against theedge of the lifter table by suitable mechanism such as shown in myPatent 2,385,706 while the lap roller 34 moves downwardly and the knife138 severs the required length of wrapping material from web W. Knife138 is operated by mechanism such as shown in my Patent 2,3 85,706.

A set of fingers 140 on conveyor chains of conventional construction(not shown) similar to those shown in the Schmitt Patent 1,851,295 thenpush the enveloped loaf L in the direction of the arrow through suitableside folder plates (not shown) and on to the stationary table 74. Theweb W then falls to its original draped position shown in Fig. 1 andlifter table 10 and lap roller 34 return to their original positionsillustrated in Fig. 1.

One terminal of limit switch 142 of conventional construction isconnected to one of the supply lines 91. The other terminal of switch142 is connected to the solenoid 81 and the winding 99 of hold-in relay97 which are connected in parallel. Switch 142 has a spring contact 143and is supported on bracket 144 attached to the under side of table 74.Spring contact 143 is normally held open by the pressure of arm 106against the spring contact 143 when said arm is in its uppermostposition. This spring contact 143 is closed when ratchet arm 103 witharm 106 through shaft 108 is moved in a downward direction indicated bythe arrow in Figs. 1 and 3. Therefore, if relay 95 is energized, thehold-in relay 97 will be closed and solenoid 81 will be energized. Whenthe beam of light from lamp 77 strikes a printed spot on web W while thesame is being retracted over the plate 68, the intensity of the lightreflected on to photoelectric cell 79 is thus diminished and the passageof electric current from cell 79 to the amplifier is materiallydecreased or interrupted. This decrease in current flowing from cell 79permits suflicient current to flow through amplifier 80 into winding 93to close relay 95 and thereby energize solenoid 81 and cause pawl 96 toengage ratchet 102 and stop the retraction of web W.

The downward motion of arm 103 is produced when the engagement of camfollower 126 with cam segment 132a thereby actuates cam lever 120 andthrough connecting rod 122 oscillates arm 110. The tension of spring 114pulls ratchet arm 103 downwardly with lever 110 wherefore the roller 104on the end of said ratchet arm 102 will engage with web W and draw itinto the space between rollers 146. Inasmuch as the web W is heldimmovable at one section by clamp 148 its leading end is retracted untilthe printed spot thereon impinges the beam of light projected throughthe opening in the bottom of its photoelectric cell unit 72. When thisspot reaches the beam of light the solenoid 81 is thereby energized andits armature extension 84 is displaced sufiiciently to cause pawl 96 toengage ratchet 102 and thus stop the motion of ratchet arm 103 androller 104 and halt the retraction of web W.

The arm 103 is then moved upwardly by the pin 112 on the oscillating arm110 whereby the limit switch 142 is opened. The limit switch 190 remainsclosed, however, and the solenoid 81 remains energized until the limitswitch 190 is opened. If a loaf L is then moved towards the lifter table10 by the pusher plate 25, the limit switch 190 will be opened and thesolenoid 81 will be deenergized. Therefore the pawl 96 will bedisengaged from ratchet 102 to permit the arm 103 to move downwardlywith roll 104 and retract web W following the severance of the portionthereof folded about the girth of loaf L. If there is no loaf inposition to be advanced by pusher plate 25 against limit switch 190, thecircuit through the latter from solenoid 81 will remain closed. Thuspawl 96 will remain engaged with ratchet 102 and the arm 103 will not beable to move downwardly with roll 104 when arm is operated by theconnecting rod 122. Accordingly, the web W Will not be displaced if noloaf is delivered to the lifter table 10. If the web W were retracted byroll 104 when no loaf is delivered to lifter table 10, web W would nolonger be in the position required to position the printed matter on thetop of the loaf.

A clamp pivoted on a stationary shaft 162 has an upright extension 164provided with an elongated slot engaging a pin 166 on the armature 168of a solenoid 170. Solenoid 170 is supported in a bracket 172 secured totable 74. A compression spring 174 is seated against the solenoid 170and engages a shoulder on armature 168 to normally maintain arm 160 outof contact with the web W. The solenoid 170 is connected to the powerlines 91 through the relay 99 and switch 142. Therefore, solenoid 170will be energized when the relay 99 is closed during the retraction ofWeb W upon the interception of the beam of light by the printed spot onthe web. Upon energization of solenoid 170 the clamp 160 presses web Wagainst plate 68. If the web were not pressed by clamp 160 the loopformed in web W during the descent of roller 104 might straighten outwhen roller 104 is raised by arm 103 and affect the position of theleading end of web W. The leading end of the web W will therefore beproperly positioned relative to the loaf L about whose girth it isfolded during delivery of loaf L to lifter table 10, to cause theprinted portion of web W to be disposed on the top of loaf L. Clamp 148then releases web W, arm 103 is returned to its normal uppermostposition whereby arm 106 will be pressed against spring 143 and therebybreak the circuit through micro switch 142 and deenergize solenoid 81.The pawl 96 will thus be moved out of engagement with ratchet 102 andthe machine is ready to repeat its cycle.

The web W will be advanced by equal increments in successive cyclescorresponding to the distance between the printed spots thereon, but thelength of the wrapper severed therefrom will vary in accordance withthegirth of the loaf to which the wrapper is applied. If a loaf having agirth greater than an average size loaf is enfolded in the leading endof the web W, a greater length of wrapping material will be required toenfold the article in accordance with the increased girth of the loaf.Therefore, the distance from the leading end of the wrapper to the lineacross which it is cut by knife 138 will be greater than in the case ofan average size loaf, and the distance from the line of cut to the nextprinted spot will be shorter. However, due to the retraction of web W byroll 104 until the printed spot is registered with the beam of lightprojected through the bottom of the photoelectric cell unit 72, the endof the web behind this line of cut will be positioned slightly higherrelative to the path of the next loaf L delivered to the lifter table.Accordingly, the underlap of the wrapper on the next loaf will besufficiently smaller to maintain each printed panel or other printedmatter, which is located in a predetermined relationship to a printedspot as illustrated in Fig. 4, in a predetermined position on the top orother face of the leaf about which it is folded, as shown in Fig. 3.

If the next loaf has a girth smaller than an average size loaf, lesswrapping material will be required to enfold the article and thedistance from the leading end of the portion of the web W folded aboutthis loaf to the line of cut will be shorter. Accordingly, the distancefrom the line of cut to the next printed spot on web W, when the same isregistered with the beam of light projected through the bottom of thephotoelectric cell unit 72 during the retraction of the web, will begreater. Therefore, the leading end of the web will be slightly lowerrelative to the path of the next loaf delivered to the lifter table andthe underlap of the wrapper on this next loaf will be sufficientlygreater to maintain the printed panel in the desired position on the topor other face of the loaf.

By adjustng the cam segment 13211 the time at which the web W isretracted may be varied as required by differences in the widths ofloaves delivered to table 10 by pusher 25. If loaves of wider width areto be handled, then the time of retracton of the web W is advanced byadjustment of cam segment 132a to prevent the loaf engaging the hangingend of the web'before the retraction thereof is completed.

Figs. 2 and 4 illustrate another embodiment of the invention wherein theprinciple of underfeeding ofthe web of wrapping material W is employedto obtain the desired result. The machine is of the same generaldesignand construction as that described above, including a lifter table 210pivoted on ashaft 2'12 and an infeed runway 215 having pusher plates 217projecting through a slot 219 in runway 215 and propelled by anintermittently moving conveyor chain 221. A guide plate 223 having aslot (not shown) through which a pusher plate 225 is reciprocated topush aloaf L in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2. Said pusher plate225 is, as previously described, attached to the end of a rod 225::which is actuated by lever arm 237 pivoting on shaft 239 and throughconnecting link 233 attached to stud 235 in the side of sleeve 231 whichis adjustably mounted on rod 225a. Brackets 227 held by cross bars 229slidably support rod 225a. A cam as previously disclosed actuates leverarm 237. There is also provided a lap roller 234 which is supportedbetween arms 236 atfixed to shaft 238 and oscillated from a suitable camas disclosed above.

In addition to these various operating mechanisms which correspond toand are similar to mechanisms described in connection with Figs. 1 and3, a lever arm 236a is fastened to shaft 238 so that the oscillatingmotion of lap roller 234 and arms 236 imparts a similar motion to lever236a for the purpose of actuating a tripping device hereinafterdescribed.

The web of wrapping material W is supplied to the machine from roll R.Said web material has spots printed upon its surface at predeterminedintervals and in predetermined relationship with the printed matterthereon. a constantly rotating roller 258, over a guide roller 260 andunder a floating roller 262 which constitute parts of the devicedescribed in Gwinn Patent 1,626,409. From there the web W passes overanother roller 264 and across the top of plates 266 and 268, and thencebetween a pair of guide rollers 270 and hangs freely across the path ofthe loaf L and between lifter table 210 and infeed runway 215.

This embodiment of the invention is also provided with a photoelectriccell unit 272 adjustably mounted by a thumb screw 278 on a bracket 276afiixed to the bottom of table 274. Photoelectric cell unit 272 issimilar in construction to the photoelectric cell unit 72 and issimilarly mounted directly above the path of travel of the printed spotson web W. Therefore the spots on web W serve to interrupt or diminsh thereflection of the light focused thereon from the light source of thecell unit 272 on to the photoelectric cell 280 thereof sufficiently tooperate a solenoid 302 in a manner which will now be described. Thephotoelectric cell 280 is connected to an amplifier 285 of conventionalconstruction which is connected to the winding 282 of a relay 283 whichis adapted when energized to close the hold-in relay 287. The amplifier285 is connected to the power lines 286, and the circuits which areclosed by relays The web W passes through the machine under 283 and 287are connected in parallel to one of the power lines 286 and to' one ofthe terminals of the solenoid 302. The other terminal thereof isconnected in parallel to the winding 288 of relay 287 and a terminal ofa make-and-break switch 303. Switch 303 is supported on a bracket 305secured-to table 274 and may be similar in constructon to switch 142.The other terminal of switch 303 is connected to one of the power lines286-. The relay 283 will be closed when a printed spot on web Wintercepts the beam of light projected from photoelectric cell unit 272,and thus the relay 287 will be closed and the solenoid 302 will beenergized if switch 303 is closed. A stud 309 secured in a lug 311 of alocking arm 326 hereinafter described, normally engages switch 303 andbreaks the circuit through switch 303 to maintain solenoid 302deenergized.

Solenoid 302 is supported in a bracket 300 attached to the bottom oftable 274. Solenoid 302 has extending downwardly therefrom an armature304 whose free end is slotted so that it straddles lever 306 to which itis connected by a pin 307. Lever 306 is fixed to a shaft 308 suitablymounted in the side frames 316. The freeend of said lever arm 306 isbifurcated as shown in Fig. 4 and a roller 310 is rotatably mountedtherein. Between plates 266 and 268, directly below roller 310, is asecond roller 312 fastened to a shaft 314 which is suitably supported inside frames 316. Said second roller 312 is so placed that its peripheryis tangent to the section of web W which extends between rollers 310 and312. A sprocket 318 secured to shaft 314 is continuously driven fromanother sprocket 320 by a sprocket chain 322. Sprocket 320 is attachedto a shaft 28 corresponding to the main cam shaft shown in Figs. 1 and3. The friction of the continuously driven roller 312 against the underside of web W is insufficient to cause said web to feed through themachine. The weight of roller 310 against the top of web W, whenpermitted to drop into the dotted position shown in Fig. 2, increasesthe friction of roller 312 sufficiently to cause web W to be fedforwardly over table 368.

A locking arm 324 is also fastened to shaft 308, and the free end ofsaid locking arm engages a shoulder on another weighted locking arm 32'6loosely mounted on a shaft 328 which is supported by brackets 330fastened to the bottom of table 274. These locking arms 326 and 324 arenormally in the locked position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 andthereby hold roller 310 out of contact with web W. Thus they allow thecontinuously rotating roller 312 to revolve without feeding the web W.There is also loosely mounted upon shaft 328 a bell crank lever 332. Oneend of said bell crank lever 332 is connected by a rod 239 to the lever236a previously described from which it is actuated. Projecting from theother end of the lever 332 is a pin 332a which, when moved downwardly inthe direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) contacts the side of locking arm326. This motion of pin 332a causes locking arm 326 to become disengagedfrom locking arm 324 whereby lever 306 drops and roller 310 presses theweb W against the continuously driven roller 312, as indicated by thedotted positions thereof in Fig; 2. Arm 306 and roller 310 remain inthis position so that the web W will be fed by roller 312' until thesolenoid armature 304 raises roller 310 off web W when solenoid 302 isenergized.

Inasmuch as locking arm 324 and lever 306 are fastened to the same shaft308, the raising of lever 306 will simultaneously lower locking arm 324'so that it will lock arm- 326 in the position shown in full lines inFig. 2 when lap roller 234 returns to the position shown in Pig. 2. Itwill be noted that pin 332a on bell crank lever 332' travels freelythrough a predetermined are before tripping locking arm 326. Thisarrangement is provided for the purpose of allowing lap roller 234 totravel through the greater part of its downward motion before trippinglocl ing arm 326. The tripping action takes place during the 9 last fewinches of downward travel of lap roller 234 and thus prevents feeding ofweb W by rollers 310 and 312 while it is being drawn through the machineby lap roller 234.

The operation of this modified embodiment of the invention is asfollows:

The reciprocating pusher plate 225 on rod 225a is moved forwardly in thedirection of the arrow (Fig. 2) by the action of lever 237 through link233. Loaf L is thereby pushed on to lifter table 210 and partiallyenwrapped in the section of web W draped in its path. As previouslydescribed, the lifter table rises together with partially enwrapped loafL to the level of table 274. This motion of the lifter table draws anadditional length of web W through the machine from roll R. Lap roller234 then moves downwardly and draws an additional length of the web Wthrough the machine until the printed spot reaches a predeterminedunderfed position just in front of the photoelectric cell unit 272, asillustrated in Fig. 2. Clamping arm 148 fastened on shaft 150 then movesdownwardly against web W to hold it while knife 338, which is similar tothe knife 138 shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and similarly actuated, cuts therequired length of wrapper from the web. This, of course, is during thedescent of the lap roller.

The loop formed in the web W intermediate the loa L and rollers 270during the downward movement of lap roller 234 is severed by knife 338whereby the free end of web W is draped across the path of another loafL brought into position on infeed runway 215. During the downward motionof lap roller 234, shaft 238 swings the lever 236a in the direction ofthe arrow to the dotted position shown in Fig. 2. Connecting rod 239 isthereby moved to turn lever 332 about shaft 328 counter-clockwise in thedirection of the arrow, and pin 332a on lever 332, after travelingthrough a predetermined arc, trips weighted locking arm 326 as laproller 234- reaches the end of its descent.- This operation freeslocking arm 326 and allows arm 306 to drop roller 310 against web W andpress against the continuously revolving roller 312. The weight ofroller 310 thereby causes sufficient friction to feed web W through themachine in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, until the spot thereonreaches the beam of light projected through the bottom of photoelectriccell unit 272.

When the arm 326 is tripped as previously described, the stud 309 isdisengaged from the switch 303 and the circuit through the solenoid 302will be completed when the spot on web W reaches said beam of light. Thespot thus decreases the amount of light reflected on the photoelectriccell 280 and permits closing of relay 283 by current flowing from theamplifier 285 through the winding 282. Thus the relay 287 will be closedand the solenoid 302 will be energized to draw armature 304 upwardly andraise lever 306 with roller 310. This relieves the friction of web Wagainst roller 312 and stops the feeding of said web through themachine. The wrapping material is now in its predetermined position forcorrectly wrapping the next loaf L.

In the meantime, a pair of intermittently moving fingers 340, similar tothe fingers 140 previously described, have already pushed the wrappedloaf from lifter table 210 on to table 274. The lifter table is thenreturned to its initial position, Fig. 2. Lap roller 234 having alsobeen returned to its initial position, the machine is ready to repeatits cycle.

The distance between the printed spots on the web W corresponds to thegirth of an average breadloaf or other article to be wrapped plus therequired overlap of the longitudinal edges of the wrapper. If a loafhaving a girth greater than an average size loaf is enfolded in theleading end of the web W a greater length of wrapping material will berequired to enfold the girth of the loaf. Therefore, the distance fromthe leading end of the wrapper to the line across which it is cut byknife 338 will be greater than in the case of an average siz loaf.-Moreover, the leading end of the web W behind this line of cut will bepositioned, when the next spot is registered with the beam of lightprojected through the bottomof the photoelectric cell unit 273, slightlyhigher relative to the path of the next loaf L delivered to the liftertable. Accordingly, the underlap of the leading end of the web W on thenext loaf will be sufficiently smaller to maintain the printed panel orother printed matter in a predetermined position on the top or otherface of the loaf about which it is folded.

If the next loaf has a girth smaller than an average size loaf, lesswrapping material will be required during the enfoldmentof the loaftherein and the distance from the leading end thereof to the line of cutwill be shorter. Accordingly, the distance from the line of cut to thenext printed spot on web W, when the same is registered with the beam oflight projected through the bottom of the photoelectric cell unit 273,will be greater. Therefore, the leading end of the web W will beslightly lower relative to the path of the next loaf delivered to thelifter table and the underlap of said leading end on the bottom of thisnext loaf will be sufficiently greater to maintain the printed panel inthe desired position on the top or other face of the loaf.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the webregistering device of Figs. 1 and 3, is illustrated in combination withmechanism for adjusting the position of the leading end of the web ofwrapping material to compensate for variations in the height of thebread loaf or other article to be wrapped. Therefore, no detaileddescription of the construction of the web registering device is needed.It will be sufficient to explain the coaction of the web adjustingmechanism with the parts of the web registering device shown in Figs. 5and 6.

After a wrapper has been severed from the web W of wrapping materialfollowing the enfoldment of an article in its leading end it isretracted across the table 68 until the printed spot is registered withthe beam of light projected through the bottom of the photoelectric cellunit 72. The retraction of the web W is performed in the mannerpreviously described in connection with Figs. 1 and 3 by a roller 104supported by an arm 103 of ratchet 102 and an arm (not shown) similar toarm 106 shown in Fig. 3. The ratchet 102 (Fig. 5 is loosely mounted onshaft 108 and arm 103 is connected by a tension spring 114 to an arm 110loosely mounted on shaft 108, the tension of the spring normallymaintaining the arm 103 again-st a pin 112 on arm 110. The arm 110 isoscillated by mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 3 to move the roller 104downwardly with the underlying section of web W between rollers 146located between the adjoining ends of tables 66 and 68, until the pawl96 supported On frames 100 is operated by the solenoid armatureextension 84 to engage the ratchet 102. The manner in which the solenoidis energized, when the printed spot reaches the photoelectric cell unit72, to operate the armature extension 84 has been fully described inconnection with Figs. 1 and 3.

Following is a description of the mechanism for varying the position ofthe leading end of the web in accordance with differences in the heightof the loaf L. A U-shaped bracket 59 supports a pair of guide rollers 70between which the leading end of the web W is threaded. The lower roller70 is mounted on bracket 59, and on lugs 61 of bracket 59 are pivotedarms 63 which support the upper roller 70.

The bracket 59 is pivoted on studs 65 secured in a bracket 67 fastenedto the bottom of table 68. Bracket 59 is provided with lugs 69 carryingstop screws 71 arranged to engage stops 73 on table 68 and thereby limitthe downward movement of bracket 59. On a stud 83 secured in the bottomof bracket 59 is pivoted a feeler 87, the stud 83 being provided with across pin 11 101 on which the lugs 89 of feeler 87 are pivotallymounted.

The loaf L is advanced in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6by the flights 17 into position to be delivered to the lifter table (notshown) by the pusher 25. During this movement of loaf L its top facewill engage the feeler 87 and thereby swing the bracket 59 upwardly to aposition determined by the height of loaf L. Therefore, the leading endof web W will be raised relative to loaf L to cause the printed matteron the web W to appear in the desired position on the top face of loaf Ldespite variations in the height of the same. The leading end of web Wis maintained in this position by rollers 70 until the loaf L isdelivered to the lifter table by pusher 25 which is supported in abracket 27 mounted on a rod 29.

The leading end of the web W will thereby be folded about the girth ofthe loaf L and the leading edge of the web will be wiped under thebottom of the loaf to provide the required amount of underlap forpositioning the printed matter in the required position on the top faceof the loaf. The enfoldment of the loaf in the leading end of the web Wis completed by a lap roller (not shown) which has been fully describedin Figs. 1 and 3, and the portion of the web W enfolding loaf L is thensevered. The machine is then ready for the next cycle of operations.

While I have described difi'erent embodiments of my invention, it willbe understood that various modifications thereof may be made and that nolimitations upon the invention are intended that are not imposed by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A web registering device comprising means for automaticallyrepositioning the leading end of a continuous web of wrapping materialhaving equally spaced indicia thereon, said means comprising a memberadapted to engage said web to vary the position of its leading end, alatch adapted to engage said member to arrest its web positioningoperation, a solenoid having an armature connection to said latch andadapted when energized to move said latch into stopping engagement withsaid member, a photocell responsive to indicia on said web connected tosaid solenoid to energize the same when indicia of said web is moved bysaid mechanism into a predetermined position during the movement createdby said mechanism whereby the movement of the Web will be arrested whenthe solenoid is energized.

2. A web registering device comprising a member for retracting theleading edge of a continuous web of wrapping material having equallyspaced indicia thereon, said member being arranged to engage and depressa portion of said web to retract the same, a latch adapted to engagesaid member and thereby stop the retraction of the web, a solenoidhaving an armature connected to said latch and adapted when energized tomove said latch into engagement with said member and thereby stop theretraction of the web, and a photoelectric cell unit responsive toindicia on said web and connected to said solenoid to energize the samewhen one of said indicia is moved into a predetermined position wherebythe retraction of the web will be stopped.

3. A web registering device comprising a member for retracting theleading edge of a continuous web of wrapping material having equallyspaced indicia thereon, said member being arranged to engage and depressa portion of said web to retract the same, a latch adapted to engagesaid member and thereby stop the retraction of the web, a solenoidhaving anarma'ture connected to said latch and adapted when energized tomove said latch into engagement with said member and thereby stop theretraction of the web, a photoelectric cell unit responsive to indiciaon said web and connected to said solenoid to energize the same when oneof said indicia is moved into a predetermined position whereby theretraction of 12 the web will be stopped, and means for operating saidmember, said operating means being adjustable to vary the timing of theoperation of said member.

4. A web registering device comprising a continuously driven lower rollunderlying a continuous web of wrapping material having equally spacedindicia thereon, an upper roll overlying said web and adapted to causefeeding of the web when pressing the same against the lower roll, apivoted support wherein said upper roll is mounted, a solenoid having anarmature connected to said support to elevate said support with saidupper roll when energized, a device for retaining said support in aposition wherein said upper roll is out of contact with said web whensaid support is elevated by said solenoid, means for disengaging saiddevice from said support to permit the upper roll to coact with thelower roll to feed said web, and a photoelectric cell unit responsive tosaid indicia and connected to said solenoid to energize the solenoidwhen an indicia on said web is moved into a predetermined positionduring the forward movement thereof created by the coaction of the upperand lower rolls whereby the forward movement of the web will be stoppedwhen the solenoid is energized.

5. A Web registering device comprising a continuously driven lower rollunderlying a continuous web of wrapping material having equally spacedindicia thereon, an upper roll overlying said web and adapted to causefeeding of the web when pressing the same against the lower roll, asolenoid having an armature connected to said upper roll to elevate saidupper roll when energized, a photoelectric cell unit responsive to saidindicia, an electric circuit connecting said unit to said solenoid toenergize the solenoid when an indicia on said web is moved into apredetermined position during the forward movement thereof created bythe coaction of the upper and lower rolls whereby the forward movementof the web will be stopped when the solenoid is energized, and a membermovable into position to retain said upper roll in an elevated position,said circuit including a switch adapted when opened to break saidcircuit and thereby deenergize said solenoid and permit said upper rollto resume its coaction with the lower roll for feeding said web, andsaid member being adapted to open said switch when it is moved out ofthe position wherein it supports said upper roll.

6. In a web registering device, the combination with a support overwhich a continuous web of wrapping material having indicia thereon isadvanced into position to be wrapped about an article, of a reciprocablemember for depressing a portion of said web which is supported on saidsupport and thereby forming a loop therein, to retract a variablepredetermined portion on the leading end of said web into apredetermined position relative to the path of an article about which itis to be folded, a movable device adapted to engage said web to preventmovement of said web after the web is retracted by said member, toprevent straightening of the loop formed in said web by said member andcontrol means responsive to said indicia on said web to limit themovement of said member and to simultaneously activate said device.

7. In a web registering device, the combination with a support overwhich a continuous web of wrapping material having indicia thereon isadvanced from a roll of wrapping material into position to be wrappedabout an article, of a member for depressing a portion of said web whichis supported on said support and thereby forming a loop therein toretract the leading end thereof relative to the article about which itis to be wrapped, a device for clamping a portion of said webintermediate said member and roll against said support to preventmaterial being drawn off said roll during the operation of said memberand control means responsive to said indicia on said Web to limit themovement of said member and to simultaneously activate said device.

8. In a web registering device, the combination with web feeding meansby which a continuous web of material is intermittently advanced from aroll of wrapping material into an approximate position to be wrappedabout an article, of independent means for automatically moving duringthe intermittency of the advance the leading end of said web relative toan article about which it is to be wrapped, and a device controllingsaid independent means for arresting the operation of said independentmeans when said web is in a predetermined position.

9. The combination with an intermittent web feeding device, a web havingspaced indicia located thereon, means independent of and operativeduring the intermittency of said web feed to re-position the leading endof said web, a mechanism controlling said means and sensitive to saidindicia and operative during the intermittency of said feed toinactivate said web re-positioning means when said web re-positioningmeans have moved said web so that one of said indicia is in apredetermined position.

10. The combination with an intermittent web feeding device, a webhaving spaced indicia located thereon, means independent of andoperative during the intermittency of said web feed to re-position theleading end of said web, a photo-sensitive mechanism connected to saidre-positioning means and positioned adjacent said web and in the path ofsaid indicia, said mechanism being operative during the intermittency ofsaid feed to inactivate said web re-positioning means when said web 14re-positioning means have moved said web so that one of said indicia isin a predetermined position.

11. A web registering device associated with a feed means for advancinglengths of web, separate means to move said web to vary the position ofits leading end prior to a feed cycle by said feed means, indicia onsaid web, and an indicia sensitive control device operative to arrestthe operation of said position varying means when an indicia on said webis moved to a predetermined position by said position varying meanswhereby the leading end of said web is re-positioned relative to saidfeed means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,859,962 Ferenci May 24, 1932 1,941,597 Cavagnaro Jan. 2, 19341,951,844 Rose Mar. 20, 1934 1,984,657 Rosenthal Dec. 18, 1934 1,988,486Ferenci Jan. 22, 1935 1,991,423 Shaver Feb. 19, 1935 2,029,919 FullerFeb. 4, 1936 2,188,871 Broekhuysen Jan. 30, 1940 2,246,968 Antrim June24, 1941 2,299,984 Horwitz Oct. 27, 1942 2,338,596 Pitt et a1. Jan. 4,1944 2,346,194 Sjostrom Apr. 11, 1944 2,365,757 Hoppe et a1. Dec. 26,1944

